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Published: January 2nd 2006
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Quad Biking
we go across there??? Arrived in the bustling adrenaline capital of New Zealand and booked into the Discovery Lodge Hostel. This was another purpose built brand new facility much like Base with 8 bunkbeds to a room and ensuite Shower facilities.
After dinner and a quick browse around town, we joined the Stray gang in the Altitude Bar under the hostel and took good advantage of the two for one offers on wine and Export Gold.
Met up with some of the guys from the previous bus who were still in Queenstown, Mat,Glen,Rob,Sally to name a few, and carried on to the World Bar, a little club up the road.
Partied late into the night/morning so it was a good thing that the Quad Bike trip we'd booked wasn't until the following afternoon! This was such good fun and though abit pricey, well worth it. The Quads were new Sport bikes with 250cc - alot of bang for your bucks! - so it was good that we started with a slow introduction around the paddock. This also showed that the other girl in our group wasn't as confident as Lin so she stayed in the paddock while we raced off after our friendly guide Emmy
J's Paraglide.
The traditional 'foot shot'! out to the muddy tracks, steep hills and river for some serious fun. Almost got into trouble with the landowner for spraying his truck with mud as I exited a deep puddle at full throttle!..oops.
Later after another blog session, I wandered over to the Paragliding landing site on the off chance that someone might know Tamasin, a friend from the Bourne Club who'd emigrated and was now living somewhere in Queenstown. Amazingly the first person I spoke to turned out to be her boyfriend Shane. He gave me her number and I returned to meet Lin at the hostel.
An hour later, our hostel phone rang.. Tamasin had tracked me down with her dog and paraglider in tow. Before I knew it, Lin, Tam and I were heading up in the Gondola to the launch site for a joyride.
Now Tam has become a bit of a weather girl, (comes with the job) so decided we had to walk up the mountain abit further to get the right wind. I stupidly offered to carry the glider! How they do this every day, I don't know!
Unfortunately there was only room for the two of us, so after a
Lins Luge
Which ones the accelerator? fantastic flight down with some 'serious spirals' we met Lin at the bottom of the Gondola.The least I could do as a thankyou was pay for the wine when we joined Tam and Shane at the Thai Restaurant later that evening.
Our next thrill ride was one for the big kid in us. We walked up the hill to the top of the Gondola, (no easy feat) and bought five rides on the Luge. There was some debate afterwards about who was the speed king/queen.. perhaps a draw might keep the peace!
After lunch overlooking the lake below, we walked back down and into town to book up the Shotover Jet ride for the following day. We were told the weather was worsening so we had to go there and then! (Well, after a quick All Day Brekkie anyway!)
The ride was brilliant fun, careering along through the Shotover Canyon inches away from the rocks, with our driver Olly performing 360 degree spins for fun. Some huge smiles on everyones faces after this, and we only just turned down the option of going again for half price!
(See ShotoverJet website, for photos no: SOJT512126564 and SOJT512126537)
Shotover Jet
Rocks..what rocks?! Our last Queenstown activity was Mad Dog River Boarding. We'd seen some guys going down the river on bodyboards from the Kawarau Bungy site, and now it was our turn.
The Mad Dog guys went on a different section of the Kawarau river, but it looked even more threatening. Luckily, we were also issued with flippers to go with the wetsuits and helmets, which made controlling your direction almost possible as the river swept us away. Lin unfortunately got caught in the first available whirlpool which sucked her under for a few seconds. Without this trauma clouding my judgement, i seeked out every available rapid, wave and white water and had an absolute blast! The fun didn't finish there either. At the end of the rapids, we were met by a jetski with a large boogie board attached at the rear. Clinging onto this we were dragged at high speed up and down the river.. such a good laugh, you can only imagine! Next was an 11metre high cliff which i decided to jump off into the water. Why??..who knows. After a go on the water slide and rope swing it was time to dry off. A great day!
Mad dog
Obviously not Lin but you get the idea!
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Iain
non-member comment
re: reports from middle earth
Nice blog, great idea. And you met Tamasin! Cool. Has she gone native? Good to see you're both still alive - Queenstown's some place, I remember the World Bar... or more accurately don't remember... Look forward to the next instalment!